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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to be really annoyed about the Clegg-Farage debate on TV this evening

41 replies

lessonsintightropes · 03/04/2014 00:05

Mainly because NC was incredibly aggressive and came across as a total anti-democratic liar, and I was forced to concede that NF did a much better job?

I'm pretty interested in politics and was a member of the Labour Party until 2003, keep abreast of what's going on, but have felt increasingly cynical and disengaged from the cronyism and elitism of politics and their out of touch approach from all three mainstream parties.

Whilst I do think some UKIP support is from the very right wing and racist extreme fringe, they seem to be the only ones able to communicate effectively with normal people.

AIBU to be highly pissed off that I don't have anyone reasonable/credible to vote for that cares about social justice and has a viable economic alternative? No bloody wonder I am considering not voting Angry

OP posts:
borisgudanov · 03/04/2014 01:04

YANBU. And giving that racist twat airtime is U.

FeelingSoLucky · 03/04/2014 02:17

YANBU - I agree! I don't think Clegg did himself any favours tonight. DH and I both said he seemed much more aggressive tonight and seemed to be making an almost personal attack against Farrage at times (can't think of any concrete examples right now).

I'll never vote Lib Dem again after they went back on their promises about tuition fees and only voted for them in the first place because I didn't like what else was on offer. I seriously don't know who I'll vote for in the next election, they all seem as out of touch and bad as each other to me. Someone once said to me that the only person who has ever entered the Houses of Parliament with honourable intentions was Guy Fawkes! No wonder so many people don't vote when you see what's on offer!

Eebahgum · 03/04/2014 04:21

I agree. After seeing snippets of the debate on the news last night, for the first time ever I googled some well known political parties and read their policies. I have deduced I don't really agree with any of them. I guess the Green Party seemed closest to common sense to me but the chances of them getting in are pretty much none existent. So I have absolutely no idea who I'll vote for, or if I'll vote at all.

bochead · 03/04/2014 04:50

We badly need to be able to tick a box labelled

"none of the above fit to govern"

at the ballot box.

At least that way the public could formally register their disgust with our current political elite.

FeelingSoLucky · 03/04/2014 06:36

I'm with you on at one blochead... Could we have a vote of no confidence in the lot of them?

FeelingSoLucky · 03/04/2014 06:37

Oops Bochead in fact! (Sorry!)

Eebahgum · 03/04/2014 06:46

Great idea bochead. I was reminiscing with dp earlier about the Richard prior film brewsters millions, where he campaigns for people to vote "none of the above".

Comeatmefam · 03/04/2014 07:03

I watched the C4 doc on Nigel Farage last night - did anyone else? How biased was it?!!!! I was shocked at how little the doc challenged him, he was shown in a glowing light. What the hell was the agenda?

LividofLondon · 03/04/2014 08:38

"I guess the Green Party seemed closest to common sense to me but the chances of them getting in are pretty much none existent. So I have absolutely no idea who I'll vote for, or if I'll vote at all"

But if everyone who liked the Green party's policies voted for them they'd have a chance of getting in wouldn't they! Confused Why don't people vote for who they support rather than vote tactically?

sadsaddersaddest · 03/04/2014 08:41

Boris who decides who should be allowed airtime? You?
If he is such a "racist twat", why not let him make a fool of himself, then?

pointythings · 03/04/2014 08:42

Livid the current first past the post system pretty much puts paid to the UK having any chance of a proper multi-party democracy.

People don't like Proportional Representation because you nearly always end up with a coalition government, but at least you end up having a viable choice and new parties have a chance to emerge and govern. They aren't always pleasant parties - look at the PVV in the Netherlands - but at least it happens.

Until we get PR, the Greens have as much chance of being a major player as I do of winning the Lottery.

MoreBeta · 03/04/2014 08:53

lessonsintightropes - I think you are among quite a large group of former Labour supporters who have moved towards UKIP.

I know quite a lot of people who would define themselves as 'working class' feel really betrayed and undermined by the way that reasonably well paid skilled blue collar jobs have gone increasingly to EU migrants and they have been pushed into minimum wage jobs.

In essence, many 'working class' people feel closer to UKIP because Farage seems like man who just 'gets it' about why immigration and the EU is a problem. He comes across as a bloke who likes a pint and you could have a conversation with down the pub.

Clegg is fundamentally steeped in the EU project through and through. He is half Dutch himself, his wife is Spanish and an EU lawyer. Clegg no doubt sees a future in European politics or as an EU Commissioner.

Dave Cameron went back on the pledge of Referendum and Labour have ruled out a Referendum.

I voted Conservative last time and will vote UKIP next time. I know a lot of older died in the wool comfortably off Tory supporters who feel the same way. UKIP has apparently done the impossible by uniting staunch supporters of left right and centre against all three established political parties.

Original poster
lessonsintightropes · 03/04/2014 08:58

About as middle class as you can be in my case and I'm generally pro-immigration. I left Labour because of Iraq and until the front bench is cleansed of those who participated in that I won't return - not that they have any policies at the moment.

UKIPs point about unrestricted immigration from EU and it stopping us having c

OP posts:
UncleT · 03/04/2014 09:01

You are dead right OP. Nick Clegg has proven himself to be a gift for the far right. His refusal to accept that people have legitimate concerns on any serious scale immediately invokes rebellion in the hearts of large swathes of the fed-up (for various reasons) population, and also means that instead of accepting some need for change and dealing with that from within the EU, people may well opt in large numbers to vote for the drastic and unnecessary step of leaving the EU altogether. He is defeating his own assertions and pushing people into the arms of proto fascists who will take us out of the EU fold that he claims to want to stay within. He needs to connect with people, not alienate them. This is where Farage succeeds significantly.

mrsjay · 03/04/2014 09:01

Nick clegg is spineless aggressive twat and the Nick farage makes up numbers to scare people he said there was 49 million people ready to come across and invade britain from bulgaria there isnt that many people in bulgaria (or which ever country hew as spouting about)

Original poster
lessonsintightropes · 03/04/2014 09:01

Whoops!

Over who comes here chimes a chord. Surely we should be bringing people over who have high skills to meet specific needs? Then tightening the benefit system would look a lot less like specifically turning over the working class to despair because there would be jobs to go to.

I also think the EU is hugely undemocratic and expensive and corrupt to the core...

OP posts:
Original poster
lessonsintightropes · 03/04/2014 09:03

Nick Clegg has proven himself to be a gift for the far right.

YY, this ^^

OP posts:
LineRunner · 03/04/2014 09:03

All Nick Clegg has done is give David Cameron the opportunity to go on the BBC News this morning and sound like the reasonable one.

Way to go, Nick.

His advisors should be tasered.

Fusedog · 03/04/2014 09:06

NC was being quite personal I think and at the point he totally lost it

And no matter how much of a twat NF is I think he just gets why people don't like the EU

Also the left countining to say to the working poor that immgeration is no big deal and having people sit at home on welfare while you works in Greg's dosent happen is no longer viable

As NF said immigration only works for the rich they get cheap nannies and cleaners but not so much for the bristish person who can't get housed or can't get there children into the local school because Rommains with lots of children have moved in the area and pushed the people who arealdy live there out of the catchment area

madcavylady · 03/04/2014 09:06

I cannot believe that airtime was given to that fucking racist loon Farage tbh. I hate Nick Clegg but feel that he was set up by David Cameron on this and looks even more of a total bloody idiot.

UncleT · 03/04/2014 09:07

And no Boris, Farage should not be denied similar airtime opportunities just because you and I might disagree with him. If we're to call ourselves a democracy we must ensure freedom of speech. As already stated, if he's a racist fool, he'll show himself as such in the minds of those with a half-decent brain in their heads.

UncleT · 03/04/2014 09:09

I agree with tasering NC's advisers.

Original poster
lessonsintightropes · 03/04/2014 09:11

I don't think NF is a racist actually, although I think lots of his supporters and members are.

OP posts:
UncleT · 03/04/2014 09:13

I wouldn't necessarily say he was either, to be fair. It's unfortunately true about some of those he attracts though.

Retropear · 03/04/2014 09:14

I loath Nick Clegg,will never vote libdem again.

NC just lectures,patronises and never listens,you get the impression NF actually listens to voters.